Eliona's War 2: Veiled Healer

Chapter 50

Time Elapsed: 01:04:12

"That was completely unnecessary," Maun complained.

"Yes, it was," Severance muttered under his breath. He stared at the transparent window before him, trying to wrap his mind around what he saw. He'd been seated on a stump for the past few minutes, going though System windows and tabs. "This doesn't make sense."

"Your animal bit me!"

As proof, Maun tugged at his pant leg, showing that the bottom half of it was absolutely shredded. It was also significantly bloodstained.

"What doesn't?" Batin came away from the tree he'd been leaning against and walked over. He stood behind Severance's shoulder as if he could somehow see the System windows.

"I healed you," Severance told Maun, then glanced up at Batin. The man's presence made his nerves go on edge. It was like having a naked blade hovering near his neck. It wasn't aimed at him, per say, but close enough to be dangerous.

Vast thought the same, for he watched Batin with an intense focus from where he lay by Severance's feet. His tail flicked from side to side.

"As you should have." Maun shook out his leg, as if testing it for any lingering damage.

Severance rolled his eyes and tapped the window before he remembered that Batin couldn't see it. His attributes were listed before him, still at level 34.

And truly, the boost he'd gotten hadn't been small. It more than doubled his Agility and made it his highest attribute. With five points from the first Gift and an extra point from his weapon, that meant he'd gotten a whopping 20 additional points from the new Gifts alone.

Wisdom 25
Intelligence 26 + 1
Vitality 30
Agility 21 +26
Strength 6
Fortitude 2

"So, I've got a boost to Agility. But also I have all these passive traits and I don't know what any of them are for." He shifted the screen to another tab, which showed his skill tree. At the bottom was a new section, labeled PASSIVE TRAITS. There were three traits there:

Flow: Surefooted
Flow: Lightstepper
Flow: Mastery (HIDDEN) - requires 60 Agility

"What are they?" Batin inquired. He stood so motionless, without even a hint of movement, that he didn't even appear to be breathing. Or blinking.

Severance suppressed a shudder and avoided looking at the man. He read the traits out loud.

"Ah," Batin said.

"What?"

"You've gotten a lot out of the Gifts," Maun sounded impressed. "The Lightstepper one sounds like Batin's specialty."

"Hn." That was Batin.

Severance resisted the urge to turn around and glare at the man. He didn't know Batin very well, but what he could see was enough to make him feel rather cautious. A trait that he used could only be something really cool.

"What is it?"

Batin didn't answer. Not verbally. Instead, he walked around Severance and went over to Maun. Even though the forest floor was covered in small twigs and scrubs and brown needles dropped by the trees, his passing left no mark. Nor did he make a single sound.

Severance tilted his head. Wasn't that how all Veiled walked?

Maun then strolled over to Severance, all very casual and relaxed. He moved with the same predatorial grace, but there was a difference that was hard to notice unless one was watching closely.